


What Will Be, Is

by alassenya



Series: Paths Unconformable [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sentinels and Guides Are Known, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-18 00:18:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13088469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alassenya/pseuds/alassenya
Summary: A prologue to and teaser for the Dean / Castiel story "Swifter Than Reason".





	What Will Be, Is

The call Sam had been dreading ever since Dean had deployed to Croatoa came at 1430 on a Friday afternoon. 

He didn't recognize the number, but then as one of the Federal Law Enforcement Agency's premier sentinel-and-guide teams he was used to getting calls from various local agencies.

"Winchester," he answered curtly, not even looking up from the website he was scrolling through.

"Agent Samuel Winchester?"

"Yep, that's me."

"This is Marsha Patterson from the Armed Forces Welfare Organization. I'm afraid that I have some bad news for you."

"Dean?" Sam asked, his mouth suddenly dry.

Across the room, Gabriel looked up in alarm, then hurried over, bracing his hands on Sam's shoulders. Sam didn't bother to activate the speaker—he knew Gabe could hear the other side of the conversation anyway.

"Your brother, Staff Sergeant Dean Winchester, has been reported as missing in action from his unit in Croatoa."

"What happened?"

"I'm sorry, I have no further details at this time. I have asked the unit to provide more information as soon as they can, but that's all I have for the moment. I will relay anything I get to you straight away, of course. Is this the best number to use after hours?"

"Yes, it is."

"I am very sorry that I can't give you more right now. I know it's a shock to you. Believe me, I am pursuing further information and I will call you back as soon as I have anything more to tell you."

"Thank you."

The call ended and Sam sat back in his seat, his head leaning against Gabriel's chest.

"You heard that?"

"I heard," Gabriel said, running his arms over Sam's shoulders. "Are you OK?"

"I don't know. How can they just ring me and say he's missing and then not tell me anything else? What am I supposed to do now?"

"They have to notify next of kin as soon as the incident is reported, even if they have nothing else. And all you can do is wait."

"How can I just wait? It's Dean. I have to do something."

"You can't do anything. And chances are the next phone call will be to tell you that he's fine. Missing doesn't mean dead, it just means he hasn't reported in for a while. He could have a bad radio, or run out of gas or something."

"But he could be dead."

Gabriel sighed. "Yes, he could be, but he probably isn't. Think positive."

Sam tried.

~~~~~

"We could look for him," he suggested, less than an hour later.

Gabriel looked at him sternly. "No, we can't, and you know it. We're law enforcement, not military. We don't have the training or the experience to search a war zone, even if it is your brother."

"But—"

"But _no_. Come on, Sam, you tell me often enough that I have to work out the difference between acceptable and stupid risks. This would be a stupid risk."

"You can't tell me that a sentinel on the search team would be a stupid risk."

"No, but they have military sentinels over there already—ones who are trained in this sort of mission. If the missing personnel don't turn up, they may well send a sentinel team after them."

"And they may not."

Gabriel sighed. "Look, if he's still missing on Monday I'll call Cas. He and Anna are over there somewhere, maybe they can get themselves included in the search effort."

Sam felt a surge of hope. Castiel and Anna Milton were Gabriel's cousins, a sentinel and guide team usually attached to the Army Rangers, and from what Sam had heard this was definitely their sort of mission. If they were able to join the search then Dean would have a good chance of being found. "You'd do that?"

"For your brother? You bet I would."

Sam rested his head on Gabe's shoulder and felt thankful that he had such an understanding partner.

"Come on, let's go for a run. You're not going to be able to concentrate on anything here."

He gave Gabriel a grateful smile. "Good idea."

~~~~~

Three days later, Dean was still missing. They had been given a little more information, but it wasn't of much help. Dean had been part of a two-vehicle convoy travelling between forward operating bases when they had been ambushed. The lead vehicle had been destroyed by a roadside bomb, and the second vehicle had come under small-arms fire. Three had been confirmed dead, and five were still missing—Dean, another soldier, two officers and a civilian interpreter. Attempts to track them had failed due to the roughness of the terrain. The search was continuing.

Gabriel tried to call Cas and Anna several times, but got no answer on phone or email. He was forced to conclude that they were out on a mission and wouldn't be able to help.

It was late on the Monday night and they lay on the couch, trying to convince each other that they were interested in the DVD that was playing. When Gabriel's phone beeped, he snatched it up, but it was only a friend inviting them out for drinks. He refused, as politely as he could manage.

"I'm sorry, Sam," he said as he set the phone down, his voice heavy with regret. 

Sam rested his head on Gabriel's chest. "It's OK. Not your fault."

"I wish I could do more." Gabriel ran his hands through Sam's hair.

"Just stay here with me," murmured Sam. "Keep telling me it's going to be all right."

"It will be all right. You have to keep hoping."

"I'm not sure I can any more. Doesn't the 48-hour rule apply to military as well as civilians?"

"I don't think so. I mean, if they wanted him dead they would have killed him when they ambushed the convoy. If they took the trouble to carry him off with them, they must think he's worth something."

"Oh god, they're probably torturing him. He's only a staff sergeant. He's not going to know anything important."

"You don't know that. And Dean is tough; he always has been. He can take whatever they deal out. He's a survivor. Hang on to that."

Sam nodded, reluctantly and tried to control the nausea he'd been feeling ever since he'd taken that first call. His big brother _was_ tough, he knew that. Dean had been there for him since they were boys together. Dean had supported him through school and college, sending back half his pay and always managing to find something for birthdays and Christmas. There was nothing that Dean couldn't do if he put his mind to it ... but dodging a bullet was different.

~~~~~

Two days after that, Marsha called again. This time it was to tell Gabriel that his cousins Castiel and Anna Milton were also missing in action, also in Croatoa.


End file.
